THE 4 GROWTH STAGES OF THE MARIJUANA PLANT

These are the four stages of weed growth: Germination, seedling, vegetative, and flowering. Let’s take a look at each.

1. Germination

Germination duration for marijuana: 3-10 days

The marijuana plant growth process starts with a seed. The seeds you plant should be dry, hard, and brown.

When a seed is underdeveloped it is normally soft, and green or white. These seeds will not germinate.

Soaking Your Seeds

Some experts soak the seeds in a 1-5% hydrogen peroxide solution. This process kills all the pathogens on the skin of the seed, makes the seed coat softer, and oxygenates the embryo.

The result is that your seeds will germinate faster.

To make the solution, mix three parts tap water and one part household peroxide.

Do not soak for too long as this will kill the plant’s root radicle.

Planting The Seeds

Plant the seeds in a moist, shady spot. The seedling should be exposed to light for a maximum of 6 hours a day for outdoor plants and 18 hours for indoor plants.

This stage does not strictly need soil – a simple cup of water or a damp paper towel will do. It should take a few days before the seeds sprout.

Once the seed sprouts, meaning you start to see shoots, then it’s time to transfer to a growing medium – preferably soil. This will allow the roots to move down and the leaves to develop upwards towards the sun.

The plant is considered a seedling once the cotyledon leaves grow from the stem. These leaves signify the end of germination and the beginning of the seedling stage.

2. Seedling

Seedling duration for marijuana: 2-3 weeks

The sprouting of leaves means your marijuana plant has entered the seedling stage. In the beginning, you will have one leaf but you will soon notice more leaves growing and creating the iconic marijuana fan leaves.

The leaves may initially have one “finger” or blade. As it matures, the leaves develop more fingers, with each leaf having between 5-7 on average. When your plant has reached this stage then it is now in the vegetative growth stage.

During the seedling stage, the plant’s roots are still developing and are usually very small. This makes it very easy to damage the plant by overwatering it. So, it’s very important to be conservative when watering your plant.

At this stage, your plant needs a lot of light. To have more control, it’s best to grow your seedlings indoors under artificial light. Try to give the plant a light cycle of 18 hours if indoors. Otherwise, it should get 6 hours of full sunlight if outdoors.

3. Vegetative Growth

Vegetative growth duration for marijuana: 3-16 weeks

Light cycle: 18 hours per day for indoor plants and 6 hours per day for outdoor plants.

Once the seedling has moved to the vegetative stage, it’s time to transplant it into a bigger pot.

The plant requires more water at this stage. In the beginning, water the plant close to the stalk. As the roots grow and spread out, you can water further away. This allows the plant to absorb it more efficiently.

The marijuana plant also requires plenty of nutrients during this stage, particularly nitrogen, which you can get at your local gardening store.

Pruning Your Plant

The vegetative growth stage is where the majority of the plant growth happens. During this stage, it’s important to prune the plant by cutting off the dead leaves and branches that don’t receive enough light. Doing so will aid healthy growth by allowing the plant to focus its energy on healthy branches and leaves.

Here’s how to prune your marijuana plants:

1. Get a good pair of pruning shears. These should be strong enough for the leaves and the branches
2. Remove the large branches first, even though they may be healthy. This allows you to see where more detailed work will be needed. The pruning of these leaves allows better airflow and more light, making the plant healthier.
3. Cut off branches that are shaded out. This will mainly be at the bottom of the plant.
4. Focus on the leaves and smaller dying branches.

Pro tip: Do not prune the flower once it starts budding.

Topping And Training

The seedling stage is the best time to top and train your plant. Topping is the process of cutting off the top of the seedling’s main stem. This forces the plant to focus on growing its lower branches, resulting in a shorter bushier plant with multiple colas.

Training the plant is bending stems and securing them in place. Bend the bigger branches away from the main stem. When you train and top your plant, you allow more light and airflow for the plant. This encourages healthier plants with more buds during the flowering stage.

Separating The Female And Male Plants

During the vegetative stage, you should also separate or discard any male plants. The male plants are likely to pollinate your female plants and prevent flowering, which is the next stage. It is therefore important to separate them and throw away the male plants.

You can differentiate the male and female plants once pre-flowering has begun. Female plants will develop pistils (small white hairs). Male plants will develop a small ball (pollen sacs) at the end of a short stalk.

Every now and then, you might find a plant that has both male and female organs. These plants need to be uprooted, as they pose a threat to the rest of your plants.

Once your plant develops buds, the vegetative growth stage has ended and the flowering stage has begun.

4. Flowering

Flowering stage duration for marijuana: 8-11 weeks

This is the final stage of marijuana plant growth. The majority of marijuana plants take 8-10 weeks in the flowering stage, however, a few strains such as sativas take a little longer.

Flowering occurs as the plant starts to receive less light. For outdoor plants, this naturally occurs with the transition to autumn. If you have indoor plants, you will need to reduce the amount of artificial light they are exposed to each day.

The required amount of light for indoor plants is 12 hours per day. Outdoor plants need 6 hours of sunlight.

3 Phases Of The Flowering Stage

Initial flowering: This stage takes the first 1 to 3 weeks. The female flowers will develop pistils, which look like white hairs. They are the beginning of the budding process.

Mid-flowering: At this stage, the marijuana plant will stop growing taller, and you will notice the buds becoming larger. This will happen between weeks 4 and 6.

The ripening: After the sixth week, the plant’s trichome (mushroom-shaped resin glands that grow near the leaves, on the flowers) density will increase, which will make it sticky. This shows that it is almost time to harvest.

During the final stage of ripening, the trichomes should be white. This signifies the presence of THC. If the small hairs begin to turn brown then the THC is breaking down, and you need to harvest immediately.

Here are three important tips for the flowering stage:

• Do not prune the plant.
• Scrooge the plant by spreading out its leaves and setting them using a net, string, or ropes. Doing so ensures support and adequate airflow for the buds as they grow.
• Supplement the plant with phosphorus nutrients.

THE POST-FLOWERING STAGE

The post-flowering stage involves the different steps you need to take once your marijuana plant is ready for harvest.

Harvesting

The harvesting process for marijuana is pretty easy. Simply cut at the base of the branch.

Ensure that you are gentle to avoid tagging out the entire plant or causing damage that will affect future yields.

Things to note when harvesting:

• Stop feeding your marijuana plant any nutrients a week before harvest. Stick to water only.
• Observe your plant’s trichomes before harvesting. If they are mostly white, they are ready. If they are starting to turn brown, harvest immediately.
• Harvest in the morning or before turning the artificial lights on.
• Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty during harvest
• If you have planted different strains of weed, remember they will be harvested at different times.

Strain of Marijuana	Flowering Duration
Indica	8-10 weeks
Sativa	10-16 weeks
Hybrid	6-10 week

It is also important to note that your harvest time also depends on the use of your marijuana.

How To Check If Your Plants Are Ready For Harvesting

There are three ways to check your plants to make sure you harvest at the right time:

1. Trichome method

Checking the trichomes is the first method. When most of the trichomes are an opaque white color, it is time to harvest. It is a good idea to have a handheld microscope to check the maturity of your trichomes.

Pro tip: Only harvest after at least half of your trichomes have turned a milky white color.

2. Pistil method

The pistils are the small white hairs on the plant’s flower. As the flower approaches maturity, the pistils turn brown or orange.

Only harvest when around 70% of your plant’s pistils have changed color. If all have changed color, then your plant THC is starting to break down.

3. The laboratory test method

Test the crop’s Cannabigerol (CBG) levels. By testing the plant in a laboratory, you get more accurate results. Harvest when the CBG level is almost zero.

Cannabigerol is a chemical in marijuana plants that is turned into THC and CBD.

When CBG levels hit zero, it means all the CBG has been converted into THC and the plant is ready for harvest and consumption.

Drying

Drying marijuana usually takes 1-2 weeks. When you have completed harvesting, divide the plant into several small branches as this will speed up the drying process.

Use a strong string to tie around the branches and hang them upside down in a dark room. Ensure the room is not humid or too hot.

Trimming

When the weed is dry, it’s time to trim off all the nugs off the plant’s stems. This is a time-consuming and intensive process.

There are two ways to trim your marijuana plant.

• Wet trimming
• Dry trimming

The most commonly used method is dry trimming which happens after drying the plant. However, you may choose to skip drying and go straight to trimming the nugs.

Ensure you have sharp scissors for this process.

Curing

Curing cannabis ensures that you prolong your product’s shelf life and retain its cannabinoid levels.

It is the process of keeping the weed in tight air-sealed jars allowing them to age for 1-3 weeks.

This is not a mandatory stage and you can skip it. However, it can help enhance the flavor and overall quality of your cannabis.

There are two curing options: indoor and outdoor curing. Indoor curing is recommended because it gives you more control of the environment.

When curing, you’ll need to consider the following conditions:

A Closed Environment

Determine the right closed environment to use for your cannabis.

Airtight containers are the best option. These include mason jars and ceramic or metallic jars that have an airtight lid.

Avoid plastic jars as they can allow oxygen in and decrease the quality of your weed. But if you choose to use plastic jars, make sure that they are food-grade to avoid dangerous chemicals seeping into your product.

The second option is a curing room. The ideal temperature for a curing room is 60-70°F with 55-65% humidity.

Humidity, Temperature & Light

If you are using airtight containers, check your hygrometer to ensure the humidity is between 55-65%.

When the humidity is above 65%, open the jars for a day and then reseal them. This will help the weed dry out. Repeat this process whenever the humidity is above 65%.

Keep your temperature at 60-70°F degrees and the area as dark as possible.

During the first weeks of curing, open the seals of the airtight containers (burping) every few days for four weeks. The seal should be opened for five minutes and then resealed. Burping refreshes oxygen in the container and allows any excess moisture to escape.

If the weed smells like ammonia, it is a sign that it is wet and forming molds. To remedy this, open the jar for a full day.

Storage

When cannabis is properly stored, it can retain its potency and quality for two years or more. Here are some of our top storage tips:

Store In Airtight Containers

If you have cured your weed in airtight jars, then you are all set in terms of storage.

An airtight space will prevent the plant from drying out too fast.

Keep Weed Stored In A Dry, Cool, And Dark Space

Direct sunlight will break down the THC in weed. Research on the effect of sunlight on cannabis shows that your weed loses 0.5% of THC every hour that it is exposed to direct sunlight.

Exposure to heat and moisture is also dangerous as it causes mold to develop. This may render your product unsafe for consumption.

Always Check The Humidity

Keep your humidity levels between 55-65%. This is the optimal humidity to avoid the growth of mold.

Have a hygrometer with you at all times. You can also use humidor boxes and weed humidity packs to maintain the right humidity levels.

CONCLUSION

The secret to good marijuana is to follow the right procedure during the entire process. If you do, your yield will have high THC levels that give that perfect high!

Take extra care with the amount of light, humidity, and temperature range that you expose your plant to during the entire process. Also be vigilant with your harvest time, to ensure the marijuana is ready to be reaped and enjoyed.

Finally, when you cure and store your weed, make sure that you use airtight containers and burp the weed frequently. This will make sure that your weed stores well and doesn’t go bad before you have the chance to enjoy it.

If you prefer to get your weed already made and packed then visit one of our Embarc Dispensaries today. We carry high-quality marijuana, that has been grown, harvested, and cured in the best conditions to ensure we meet all your cannabis needs.